


Talks of Truce

by regdog



Series: Trine Leader Series [2]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 20:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17814962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regdog/pseuds/regdog
Summary: As leader of the Decepticons Thundercracker begins to negotiate a truce.





	Talks of Truce

**Author's Note:**

> As mentioned in Trine Leader: Credit to Gatekat for the Trine positions of Order, Action and Vision

“Incoming message from the Nemesis,” Blaster said.

“I wonder what ol’ Buckethead wants,” Jazz piped up.

“Good question. The Decepticons have been far too quiet, for too long. And a quiet Megatron, is a plotting Megatron,” Prowl said, subspacing his datapads as he and Jazz approached Teletran 1, taking their place on either side their leader.

“We’ll soon find out,” Optimus said, as the screen cleared, revealing Thundercracker being flanked by Skywarp and Soundwave.

Prowl’s doorwings gave a minute twitch, the only outward sign of his surprise at the sight greeting them. Given the slight smirk Thundercracker now wore, Prowl knew the Seeker had seen the movement and was glad to take the renowned stoic Autobot Second by surprise.

“Thundercracker, this is a surprise. Where is Megatron?” Optimus asked.

“Which piece?” Skywarp quipped.

“Warp,” Thundercracker admonished with a hiss. 

Lowering his wings with a few twitches, Skywarp nodded, but a sardonic smirk was firmly in place, as he glared at the screen of Autobots. 

“As you now may surmise, Megatron is dead. I lead Decepticons,” Thundercracker began without preamble.

“Damn mech, how’d you accomplish that?” Jazz asked after a slow whistle.

“It is of no concern to you,” Thundercracker answered.

“Where is Starscream?” Optimus asked. 

“That also is of no concern to you. What is of concern to you, is that I am interested in a meeting to discuss terms of a truce,” the blue Seeker said.

“Thundercracker, while I welcome to opportunity to end this war peacefully, you can understand, that I would need proof of Megatron’s death before I can enter negotiations with you.”

Thundercracker’s wings flared. His helm tiled slightly toward Soundwave and then he gave a curt nod.

“Does Optimus Prime believe Soundwave would allow Thundercracker to claim leadership of the Decepticons if he had not offlined Megatron?” Soundwave asked, the question dripping with derision, despite the Communication Officer asking in his usual monotone.

“Not at all, Sounders. But you lot do have the name Decepticons for a reason,” Jazz said, trying to read his longtime rival.

“His designation is Soundwave. You would do well to remember that,” Thundercracker said in warning. “I grow weary of this, Prime. You want proof.” He held out his servos.

Skywarp leaned out of the frame and returned with a box. Opening it, he handed Megatron and Shockwave’s disembodied helms to his leader. Thundercracker stood impassive, helm in each servo.

Optimus’ optics cycled wide. 

“Goddamn,” Jazz breathed out. “You killed Shockwave too.”

“This is a most unexpected development, Thundercracker, and not an unwelcome one at that,” Prowl said. 

Thundercracker handed the helms back to Skywarp, his optics never leaving Optimus. “Your answer.”

“Of course we can negotiate a truce.”

A cacophony of thundering pedes and yelling came through the feed from the Nemesis. 

“Soundwave will comm you the pertinent information,” Thundercracker said, and the screen went blank.

 

****************************************************************

Frenzy came skidding into the Nemesis’ Command Center, Starscream hot on his pedes. Frenzy climbed the panel, slipping into an airduct.

“He’s trying to kill me!” The cassetticon screeched.

“Frenzy, desist. Punishment earned. Laserbeak, Ravage eject. Operation, retrieve Frenzy.” Soundwave deployed two of symbiots. 

Ravage leapt onto the panel and easily scaled it, delving into the airduct. Thudding pedes steps echoed from the vent. Laserbeak flew into the hallway, only to return moments later with an upside down, swearing Frenzy in his talons. Ravage trailing along at a leisurely pace. Laserbeak dropped Frenzy into Starscream’s waiting servos.

“Beaky, Rav, I’ll get you for this, you fragging aft kissers, this is war. You hear me?”

“They almost heard you on the Ark, twerp,” Skywarp said. 

“Kill me now,” Frenzy moaned.

“It remains an option,” Thundercracker said flatly.

“Ravage, Laserbeak, well done. Remain with Starscream, assist if necessary. Frenzy desist swearing or more punishment will be earned,” Soundwave ordered. “Query, Starscream, Rumble’s condition?”

“Happily sitting in the bath,” Starscream answered, jiggling Frenzy up and down.

“Quit it!” Frenzy yelled.

“Rumble never happily bathes,” Soundwave remarked.

“Two words, Soundwave; rubber ducky.” 

Broken static burst from Soundwave as Skywarp shrieked. “YOU GAVE RUMBLE MY RUBBER DUCKY!”

Starscream laughed, leaving the Command Deck with Frenzy firmly held in his servos, Ravage at his pedes, and Laserbeak perched on his shoulder strut.

**************************************************************************************

“Well, I certainly did not see this happening,” Prowl said, following Optimus.

“Nor I, but peace would be so welcome,” Optimus agreed, typing in the door code to his office

“I want to know how Thunders killed Megs and Shockers,” Jazz said, entering the office after Prowl and Optimus.

“And got such willing support and compliance from Soundwave. Not to mention where Starscream is,” Prowl added, sitting opposite his leader. Jazz taking the chair next to Prowl.

“Prowl, what are the odds Megatron killed Starscream and Thundercracker killed Megatron in retaliation?” Optimus asked.

Prowl ran the scenario through his tact-net “94.89%. Almost equal at 95.02%, is Starscream and Megatron killed each other and Thundercracker was seen as the most stable choice to be the new Decepticon leader. Other possibilities such as Soundwave and Thundercracker working together to overthrow Megatron is 22.89% and Thundercracker killing Megatron just to seize power for himself, even lower 16.17%. Given what we know of Thundercracker, rebellion is not his nature and few other Decepticons would be a suitable leader.”

“Perhaps we will be given more insight as to the truth of the matter at the meeting. We need to contact the human authorities and apprise them the situation,” Optimus said.

“If they want to be included in the meeting?” Prowl asked.

“No, this is only the initial meeting and it could be a trap, or end in disaster. If this is truly an offer of peace, then we can present the humans’ request for inclusion and see how Thundercracker responds,” Optimus said, steepling his fingers in thought.

“Cons ain’t known for their love of humans,” Jazz said.

“No, the Decepticons are not. But we are on the humans’ planet,” Optimus agreed.

“Thundercracker is not stupid. He knows our options are limited. There are few places in the universe that would welcome Cybertronians and we have no way to get there. Neither do the Decepticons. Blast Off and Astrotrain may be space shuttles, but they cannot carry the entire Decepticon Army, nor do they have the energon reserves for an indefinite space flight,” Prowl said, flipping through multiple datapads, before handing one to Optimus. 

Reading the pad, Optimus nodded.

“Something good?” Jazz asked.

“A proposed peace plan,” Prowl answered.

“You always have a contingency plan,” Jazz said.

“Multiple,” Prowl said blandly.

Both Optimus and Jazz laughed.

**********************************************

“The Autobots agreed to the meeting to discuss a truce,” Thundercracker said, entering the large washroom, with Skywarp.

“When?” Starscream asked, scrubbing Frenzy’s helm.

“One decacyle. Hashima Island,” Soundwave said, entering the room. Laserbeak flying to his shoulder strut.

“Hey, Dad,” Rumble said, playing with the rubber duck.

“Family meeting?” Barricade asked, entering the washroom, sipping a bright purple cube of energon.

“Barricade, you should be drinking the geothermal energon, it has more of the nutrients you need, the solar doesn’t.”

“Yes, Mom,” Barricade snarked.

“Do you always have to be a jerk?” Skywarp demanded.

“Do I have to be? No.”

“Barricade fractious by coding. Jerk by choice,” Soundwave said.

“Up yours, radio,” Barricade said, lifting his cube to take a drink, right before a large wet cloth slapped him in the face.

Spluttering, Barricade dropped his cube and glared at the gathered mechs. Starscream had a large cloth covering Frenzy’s head. Rumble was laughing, the rubber duck still clutched in his servos. Skywarp leaned against the wall, usual smirk firmly in place, while Soundwave with his mask and visor was unreadable as ever. Thundercracker had one optic ridge arched, blasé expression on his faceplates.

“Afts,” Barricade hissed, and stalked from the washroom.

“Geothermal energon this time,” Starscream called after the retreating Interceptor. “Perfect aim, love,” he said to Thundercracker.

Thundercracker smiled and then laughed, rich and deep, causing Starscream and Skywarp to smile and laugh in response. It had been vorns since their Trine leader had been so at ease. Then it had been millions of vorns since Starscream and the Trine had nearly been destroyed by Megatron and his ignorance.

“Query. Frenzy and Rumble’s bath complete?” 

“Yes, they’re done. Unless either feel the need to create more paint strewn havoc,” Starscream said, allowing both casseticons to emerge from the oil bath, massive towel in his servos. Frenzy’s pout was still firmly in place, while Rumble preened under Starscream’s attentive drying.

“Soundwave believes Rumble’s pranks deliberate to bring about Starscream’s attention.”

The cassiticon looked wide-opticed at his carrier. “Who me?”

“Rumble enjoys the attention,” Soundwave revealed.

Pulling the towel over his head, Rumbled just muttered.

“What was that?” Thundercracker said, taking the casseticon from Starscream.

“He’s nice now. Life’s nice now,” Rumble said, clearly embarrassed.

“Life is nice now,” Starscream agreed, wings fluttering happily. “Megatron is gone. We’re not starving, or making useless raids against the humans’ resources. We haven’t fought the Autobots in cycles.”

“Soundwave will take his leave and contact Autobots with details for the meeting,” the Communications Officer said. His casseticons trailing behind him as they left the washroom. Rumble waving at Starscream and Ravage giving the former Air Commander a head bump to his shin plating before trotting after his siblings.

“And most importantly, our Trine is as it should be, your coding is healing, and you’re not being beaten by that lunatic anymore,” Skywarp said, his voice even, but his field a mixture of rage and protectiveness. 

“It’s over. That’s all that matters,” Starscream said quietly.

“No, it isn’t. I should have stepped in millennia ago. I should have ended him the first time he hit you. I failed my Vision, my Action. I failed as Trine leader,” Thundercracker said, his voice dark.

“TC, what would Warp and I have done if Megatron had killed you? We would have been lost, that lunatic would probably have forced us to trine with the first untrined Seeker he found.”

“I would have offlined you and then myself before I would have allowed that to happen,” Skywarp said fiercely.

“And then what would have happened?” Starscream said, taking Thundercracker and Skywarp’s servos in his smaller ones. “Megatron would be alive. Shockwave would still be experimenting on any Decepticon he could get his servo on. The Combaticons would still be slaves. Soundwave’s younglings would never have the chance to experience peace.

“I’m not going to lie. I wanted to kill him. I wanted him to kill me. Every cycle I could feel myself going insane. I wanted to die. But now. Now that my coding is happy; now that we are once again as we should be; I know what I went through was worth it. 

“We have a chance at peace. A real, true peace with the Autobots. We can make a home on this planet. It is rather beautiful. And maybe someday we can have Seekerlings.” The last sentence was whispered.

“You humble me,” Thundercracker said, placing a kiss to Starscream’s helm. “I never feel worthy of the love and trust you so freely give me. I will give you the peace you want, and once we have that and have a true home. Not one miles beneath the ocean, leaking and rotting around us, I would love to have Seekerlings with you.

“To see you carry them and bring them through emergence. To watch them grow and teach them to fly. We can teach them of Vos and maybe just maybe they will never know anything peace and fair skies.”

“Sounds perfect to me,” Skywarp said, nuzzling his Trine leader and Vision.

Thundercracker gathered his Vision and Action close to him and trilled happily, their fields and sparks pulsing in perfect rhythm.

****************************


End file.
